The slogan “We Stand Together” is as bad as “All Lives Matter”, and Bernie supporters would do well to steer clear of it.
Everyone should realize by now how hollow the phrase “All Lives Matter” is. If black people had used the slogan “All Lives Matter” originally, that would actually mean what it says. But the phrase “All Lives Matter” was only uttered after the slogan “Black Lives Matter” burst upon the scene. “Black Lives Matter” is used to emphasize that black lives do matter, in the face of a society that so clearly does not value black lives.
In that context, the phrase “All Lives Matter” is a retort – it opposes “Black Lives Matter”, covers it up, hides it under the false universal of “all lives”. But, of course, if all lives truly mattered, there would be no need to say “Black Lives Matter”.
In the same way, “We Stand Together” uses a false universal. Who is we? “We” are the white progressives who don’t want to be distracted by all this discussion of racism and white supremacy – that’s “someone else’s issue”. Why can’t we instead talk about class, or debt, or the 1% – you know, the issues that matter to “all” of “us”.
This is the same “we” of feminism that obscures women of color and trans women. This is the “we” of gay rights that says that staying in solidarity with the “T” of LGBT is just too divisive.
We don’t stand together. Some of us do stand in a very different position vis-à-vis the police, the courts, the banks, the job market, etc., etc. The reaction of the crowd to the Seattle interruption shows exactly why it is necessary to keep bringing up the issue of race.
“We Stand Together” is a blatant attempt to shut down dissent, to crowd it out, to refuse to listen to it. If you’re standing in a crowd of Bernie Sanders supporters who start chanting “We Stand Together”, do the honorable thing: sit down. Or even, lie down for Mike Brown.
Fish Rock Road 